With All My Heart...

Pages

Thursday, July 8, 2010

I think that these bodies that we live in weren't built to withstand wear and tear. There's no doubt that life's elements can wear on this mortal flesh. I think the solace I find in hard times comes from the knowledge that I have a Strong Tower that I can run into and find safety. We weren't created to go through life without shelter and without a safe haven.

I don't think that the cares of this world can stand a chance against the greatness of our mighty God. The problem arises when we forget to run to Him. I think that this post is here to serve as a reminder that we aren't meant to go this road alone. There is an awesome Savior who loves us deeply and passionately, and He wants to walk this path with us. When times get rough, He wants to be a friend and a shield and a hope. I think that the psalmist understood this. Psalm 121 (NIV) says this:

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—

where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—

he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—

the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—

he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

This passage is exceedingly comforting. As Christians, our hope comes from the knowledge that our help doesn't come from the fallible hand of a man. Our help comes from a God who never sleeps on the job. He's always watching over us. Always protecting, always loving, always guiding, always keeping. And here in lies our peace: our God who created this earth will not allow us to be lost within it. He sees, He cares and He knows.

What is it that you are afraid of? What is it that looks bigger than your strength? What is that thing that seems insurmountable? Look up. Look toward the hills and take a good look at the mighty God who is fighting on your team. He is greater. He is bigger. He is stronger. He is mightier than any fear or doubt or insecurity or trouble. He is greater.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

I think about the nature of Jesus a lot. I like to think about thethings that He's done, too, but thoughts of those things always pointback to thoughts of who He is. I'll be honest in saying that when Ithink of who God is my mind is boggled. I've lived long enough to belet down and rejected and abandoned and humiliated. Thinking back onsome experiences, I can truthfully say that I've seen the nature ofman and it ain't pretty. But the nature of Jesus is Love. It isincorruptible. It is pure. To me that is mind-boggling and I will notapologize for being in awe of this magnificent God.

I read one of David's psalms again today. Psalm 23 speaks volumesabout our God's nature. It speaks of how He takes care of andprotects us. With each verse, I become more and more grateful. Moreand more amazed.

The verse that stood out to me this time was verse 3. This verse saysthat our Lord restores my soul. It says that He leads me in paths ofrighteousness for His Name's sake. I don't think that I am able todescribe how much this means to me. I think about God's nature:strong, kind, compassionate, faithful, unchanging. I think about humannature: desperately wicked, frail, fickle and weak. If God were tolead me in paths of righteousness for my own name's sake I would beworried. It would be easy for me to believe that I could get lost,somehow, in the thickness of life. But it's not based on my name.Righteous living and righteousness itself are not based on my nature. They are based on the nature of One who is steadfast and unchanging. He issteady and faithful. He is trustworthy and good. He is really reallygood.

I think this verse means so much to me because it means that God willnever let us go. He won't let us slip away. It will never be Hischoice if we walk away from His providence. As long as we remain assheep, following with complete trust a mighty Shepherd, He will alwaysshow us the right way to go. He'll never change His mind and choose tolead us astray. He will not choose not to lead us. It is not in Hisnature to abandon us. These paths of righteousness, paths of peace,paths of love, paths of grace are ours to walk along.